One way to get warm

Despite the temperatures being barely above freezing on Saturday, the amazing Drum Machine were playing around Hebden Bridge as part of the floods fundraiser. I find the effect of the massed percussion really thrilling; you can feel it viscerally as well as hearing it. Quite extraordinary. For a video with sound, see the post I uploaded the first time I ever saw them - here. It's impossible to listen without picking up the beat - and jigging about is one way to keep warm!

Drum Machine

The most unexpected and best bit of my trip to Leeds Industrial Museum was stumbling upon a performance by Drum Machine.  (See also their website here.) There were at least 30 drummers and the sound they made was amazing and utterly infectious. (Turn your volume up and go full screen to watch the video!) Such fun. You could feel the beat vibrating right through your body, as well as hearing it.  I've never quite experienced anything like it before. The guy at the front was the conductor/director and seemed to have an elaborate sign language for what was to happen next, bringing in different types of drum at different times, varying the rhythm, rising to a crescendo and then falling quieter again. They played without a break for what must have been a good half an hour. Brilliant.

I took several still photos but none of them really came out well as it was very dark where they were playing. Luckily this quick video I took on my phone turned out good enough to give an idea of their performance. I've spent all evening trying to work out how to get this few seconds uploaded from my phone and onto my blog! I hope it works for everyone to see, though it's a pale imitation of what it was like to be there.